THE MANDATEPolitics. Policy. Power.
The record

Archive

Every story The Mandate has published stays here permanently, newest first. Homepage slots carry only current reporting; nothing is withdrawn from the record.

87 published stories

Tue, 11 Aug, 2026

Editorial illustration of a passport, office towers and a rising cost curveBusiness

New U.S. Visa Costs Put Indian IT's Onshore Model Under Pressure

An additional fee reported for covered large employers — $4,000 on H-1B and $4,500 on L-1 — takes effect on September 9 within specified United States employer criteria. For firms with thousands of professionals onshore, the cumulative arithmetic is the problem.

The Mandate News Desk · Analysis · 11 Aug 2026 · 10:30 AM IST · 4 min read

Editorial illustration of a cable-stayed bridge, waste-processing plant and municipal finance motifsEconomy

Can Chennai Borrow Its Way to the Next Urban Transformation?

The Greater Chennai Corporation is examining municipal bonds, commercial loans, multilateral finance and public-private structures to fund its next round of infrastructure. With an AA+ rating reported and a Rs 1 lakh crore national Urban Challenge Fund in play, the question is bankability.

The Mandate News Desk · Analysis · 11 Aug 2026 · 10:20 AM IST · 5 min read

Editorial map illustration showing seismic rings near the Colombian Pacific regionWorld

More Than 100 Dead After Powerful Earthquake Strikes Colombia

According to the reported figures available in today's source material, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake in Colombia has killed at least 111 people and injured 87, with the epicentre near San Jose Del Palmar. Tremors were felt well beyond the affected area.

The Mandate News Desk · News · 11 Aug 2026 · 10:10 AM IST · 3 min read

Public Policy

Could Tamil Nadu's 7.5% Medical Quota Expand Further?

The horizontal quota for government-school students currently accounts for 537 MBBS and 104 BDS seats. The government has indicated that a committee will study its continuation and possible expansion — a study, not a decision.

The Mandate News Desk · Explainer · 11 Aug 2026 · 9:50 AM IST · 4 min read

Politics

AIADMK Defeat Opens an Internal Accountability Battle

Senior AIADMK leader C. Ve. Shanmugam has questioned who bears responsibility for the party's losses, citing defeats in 35 of 37 constituencies in Chennai and neighbouring districts. The dispute turns on whether accountability rests with the leadership or with district-level functionaries.

The Mandate News Desk · News · 11 Aug 2026 · 9:40 AM IST · 3 min read

Public Policy

FCRA Amendment Bill Faces JPC Route Amid Political Pushback

The government may consider referring the FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026 to a Joint Parliamentary Committee after opposition from political parties and civil-society and religious organisations. The DMK has sought its withdrawal; no referral has been completed.

The Mandate News Desk · News · 11 Aug 2026 · 9:20 AM IST · 3 min read

Governance

India's E-Visa Network Expands to 88 Entry Points

India's e-visa facility now covers 88 entry points — 37 airports, 38 seaports and 13 land ports — after 11 additional ports were added. The source report says around 95% of e-visa applications are processed within 72 hours.

The Mandate News Desk · News · 11 Aug 2026 · 9:10 AM IST · 3 min read

Governance

Chennai Proposes Rs 25,000 Fine for Abandoning Pet Dogs

The Greater Chennai Corporation has proposed a Rs 25,000 penalty for abandoning pet dogs, subject to Council approval before it can be implemented. The proposal sits alongside licensing, microchipping and sterilisation data that explain why the city is looking upstream.

The Mandate News Desk · News · 11 Aug 2026 · 9:00 AM IST · 3 min read

Editorial illustration comparing a bare hot rooftop with a planted cool rooftopEnvironment

The Cheapest Cooling Technology May Be Growing on the Roof

A study involving IIT-Madras and Okapi Research and Advisory found rooms below rooftop gardens around 1-2 degrees Celsius cooler, with roof surface temperatures down by about 8-12 degrees Celsius. The findings point to nature-based heat adaptation at building scale.

The Mandate News Desk · Data Story · 11 Aug 2026 · 8:50 AM IST · 4 min read

Editorial illustration of a diplomatic table beside two territories divided by a riverWorld

Hasina Extradition Becomes a Test for India-Bangladesh Relations

Bangladesh has again urged India to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, raising the issue during diplomatic engagement. India has not agreed to any extradition, and the matter remains a bilateral diplomatic question.

The Mandate News Desk · Analysis · 11 Aug 2026 · 8:10 AM IST · 3 min read

World

Iran Reshuffles Its Senior Security Leadership

Iran has made changes at the senior level of its security establishment. The significance lies less in the individual appointments than in what a reshuffle signals during a period of sustained regional security pressure.

The Mandate News Desk · Analysis · 11 Aug 2026 · 8:00 AM IST · 3 min read

Editorial infographic of three territories linked by a triangular network around a divided shieldWorld

Saudi-Türkiye-Pakistan Defence Pact: What It Is — and What It Is Not

A reported trilateral security arrangement between Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan has drawn immediate comparisons to collective-security blocs. The three states enter it with different strategic interests, and the label being applied to it is not an established description.

The Mandate News Desk · Explainer · 11 Aug 2026 · 7:50 AM IST · 5 min read